Improvement tn mywy-chaweered rotattng-breech fire-arms



PATENT OFFICE.

SAML. COLT, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN MNYCHAMBERE'D ROTTI'NG-BREECH rFIRE-ARMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 18,678, dated November 24, 1857.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL GoL'r, of Hartford," in the State of Connecticut, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Many-Chambered Rotating-Breech lfire- Arms; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part'of this specification, in which- Figurel is alongitudinal section in the plane `of the axis of the barrels; Fig. 2, a cross-section taken at the line A c of Fig. l; Fig. 3, 'separate views of the adjustnglnut, and Fig. 4 separate views-of the central pin on which the breech rotates. The two latter figures are on an enlarged scale.

The same letters indicate like parts in-all the figures.

My invention consists in securing the rotating breech in place by a central pin .inserted from behind through a hole in the shield-plate; so that the pin can be readily taken outand put in to remove the breech and replace it without the necessity of taking oc the barrel, as was the case prior to my invention 5 and my said invention also consists in adjusting the front end of the rotating breech to the rear end of the barrel by means ot' a hollow screw tapped into a hole in the shield-plate, the central pin on which th'e breech rotates being f1tted to and passing through the said screw, so that by the turning of the said screw, the end of which rests against the rotating breech and resists the recoil, the front face of the rotating breech can be adjusted to the rear end of the barrel with the greatest accuracy.

In the accompanying drawings, a represents the barrel, secured to the forward part of the metal frame l1, in which the many-chanibered breech c rotates. This frame is open at bottom', that the rotating breech may bc put in and taken out. The rear end ot' this frame forms the shield-plate d, with a central hole in line with-the bore of the rotating breech; and this hole is tapped to receive a screw, e, which passesentirely through the shield-plate and rests against the rear end of the rotating breech to adjust its forward end to the rear end'of the barrel. The rear end of this screw screw-driver by adjusting-screw, to hold the pin in place when inserted. The rear end ofthe spring-catch, where it projects back ot the adj listing-screw, is suitably formed to admit of readily liberating the catch when it is desired to take out the pinto remove the breech. By this means, after all the charges have been tired, the rotating breech can be taken out and another with the chambers charged substituted in less time than an ordinary single-barrel pistol or other arm can be loaded.

I am aware that in Letters Patent granted to Elijah Jacquith on the 12th day of July, 1838, the many-chainbered rotating breech is described and represented as turning on and connected in place by what maybe termed a central pin passing through a central bore; but in that case the parts cannot be solid, because `the greater part of the rotating breech is placed above the upper surface ofthe barrel, and the pin can only be a segment of a hollw cylinder to admit ot' takin g righ t, and for these and other reasons such a construction is not practically useful; but I do not, however, wish to be understood as claiming broadly the con nection of a many-chambered rotating breech with the barrel and shield by means of an axle passing through the central bore thereof and inserted from the rear end.

What I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. Securing the many-chambered rotating breech in placebya solid pin passing through the central bore thereof and fitted' to ahole in the breech-plate behind, and in aline below the bore of the barrel, so as to be inserted from the rear end and there secured, that the said breech may be properly and conveniently inserted within a cavity in the surrounding rnetallic frame which connects the barrel with the shield-plate, to give the required strength and support to resist the recoil, tbe main part of the said breech being thus placed below the baro. hollow screw tapped into the shield-plate and bearing against the rear end of the rotatrel, by au arrangement `substantially such as ingbreecb, substantially as described. herein described. SAM. COLT.

2. The adjusting of tbe rotating breech to Witnesses: the rear end of the barrel by combining theie- M. STANCLIFF, witl|,al1 l with tlievcentral pin 0n which i t turns, E. K. ROOT. 

